Closure for centrifugal machines



June 29, 1937. J. LOTHIAN CLOSURE FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed May 19,1936 2 SheetsSheet l June 29, 1937.

J. LOTHIAN 2,085,503

CLOSURE FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed May 19, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 231mm when A) SWN Patented June 29, 1937 CLOSURE FOR OENTRIFUGAL MACHINESV James Lothiam Ewa, Territory of Hawaii Application May 19, 1936,Serial No. 80,633

g Claims.

My invention relatesto centrifugal machines and more particularly toclosures or covers for such machines as are employed in the manufactureof sugar to separate the molasses iromthe sugar crystals.

. The principal object of vide a closure which will the centrifugalmolasses.

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing the closurewith a plurality of hingedly mounted sections which have meeting edges,one of the sections being slidable at an angle to the line of meeting ofthe .sectionsto cause the the invention is to protightly seal the top ofmachine against the escape of meeting edges tohave' wedging engagement.

Another feature of the invention resides in forming the meeting edges ofthe sections of the closure with recesses adapted to define an openingof greater diameter than the spindle or shaft of the centrifugal machinewhich extends through the closure, means being mounted on one of thesections for closing the portion of the opening unoccupied by the shaft.1

Other and more specific features of the invention, residing inadvantageous forms, combina tions and relations of parts, willhereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of the centrifugal machine, theclosure being shown in closed position and the spindle or shaft of themachine being in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the machine, thepositions occupied by the sections of the closure when open being shownin dotted lines and the operating mechanism of the machine beingdiagrammatically illustrated in dot and dash lines.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the closure partiallyopen.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the rotatable plate which is adaptedto close the portion of the opening in the closure unoccupied by thespindle or shaft of the machine which extends through the closure.

While, for purposes of illustration, the cover has been shown as appliedto a centrifugal machine in which the driving mechanism is disposedabove the basket, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate thatwith but slight changes, it is equally applicable to machines in whichthe driving mechanism is otherwise disposed.

Referringmore particularly to the drawings, I indicates the fixed outershell of the centrifugal machine which, as is customary, is formed atits upper end with an inwardly extending flange or, curbing 2 definingan opening 3. Extending through the opening is a rotatable spindle orshaft 4 onto the lower end of which is fixedly mounted the basket (notshown) for receiving the material, inithe present case massecuite, to beoperated upon by the machine.

The closure or cover forclosing the opening 3 is advantageously formedin two sections 5 and 6, respectively, of substantiallythe same size andthey are provided with edges which are adapted to meet in abuttingrelation on opposite sides of the shaft 4. Eachsection of the closure isrigidly provided with a rod 1 for movably connecting the section to thecurbing 2. While the rods may be connected to the sections in anysuitable manner',.it is preferred to provide each of them with spacedportions 9 having aligned apertures for receiving the cooperating rodwhich may be conveniently secured to the portions by means, such, forexample, as machine screws l0...

The'rods 'l are rotatably and slidably mounted in aligned aperturedportions ll formed on brackets or the like [2 rigidly secured in anysuit able way to the curbing 2. Thus it will be observed that eachsection of the closure is hingedly as well as slidably mounted but, aswill hereinafter be apparent, it is only necessary in so far aseffecting a tight engagement of the abutting edges of the sections isconcerned that section 5 be slidably mounted.

To enable the meeting edges of the sections to tightly engage and thusprevent liquid, in the present case molasses, from escaping from themachinethe; longitudinal axis of rod l of section 5 is disposed at anangle to the axis of the rod of section 6 and also at an angle to theline of meeting of the sections. Accordingly, section 5 is slidable atan angle to the direction of sliding movement of section 6 and themeeting edges of the sections are thus caused to have wedgingengagement. It will be apparent that, even though section 6 is notslidable, the meeting edges of the sections will have Wedging engagementso long as the direction in which section 5 is sli-dable is at an angleto the line of meeting of the sections.

The sections of the closure may advantageously be provide with a handleor the like [3 whereby they may be conveniently manipulated in thedesired manner and the meeting edge of each section is formed With arecess l4 so that, when iii the sections are closed, an opening will bedefined through which the spindle or shaft 4 may extend. To enablerelative sliding movement of the sections, the opening defined. by therecesses I4 is of larger area than the shaft 4 and the portion of thisopening which is unoccupied by the shaft may be conveniently closed by aplate I5 which is pivotally mounted on the outer face of section 6 byany suitable means, such, for example, as a bolt or the like. I6. Thisplate is formed with a semi-circular recess I! so that, when it is swunginto operative position beneath an overhanging lip or flange 18 of abracket l9 rigid with section 5, it will embrace substantially one-halfof the shaft. It, like sections 5 and 6, may also be provided with anoperating handle 20.

To prevent liquid from leaking around the shaft, the portions ofsections 5 and 6, as well as of plate I5 which adjoin the shaft may besuitably provided with packing material, not shown. It will be apparentthat the apertured portions l I of brackets l2 afford stops limitingsliding movement of the sections but, to insure that the meeting edgesof the sections will have wedging engagement, the portions H of onebracket or the cooperating portions 9 of the associated section are soarranged that, when the meeting edges are in engagement, there will be aslight clearance, as indicated at 2!, between portions 9 and I l.

While sections 5 and 6 of the closure are each illustrated in thedrawings as being formed of sheet material mounted upon a semi-circularframe 22, which construction is desirable when material such as masonitepressed wood is used, it will be readily appreciated that the sectionsmay be made of steel plates and the frames 22 thus dispensed with. I

From the foregoing, itwill be apparent that a simple and effectiveclosure has been devised; one which because the sections thereof arepivotally mounted is capable of being swung into a position leaving theopening of the shell unobstructed and because the sections arerelatively slidable will tightly seal the opening against the escape ofliquids. It is, of course, to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the details of construction which have been illustrated anddescribed, as it is obvious that various changes and modifications canbe made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined inthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A closure for an opening through which a shaft or spindle is adaptedto extend, said closure comprising two sections having edges adapted tomeet on opposite sides of the shaft and also hav ing cut away portionsdefining an elongated shaft receiving opening of greater area than thecross sectional area of the shaft, and means movably mounted on one ofsaid sections for closing a portion of the opening unoccupied by theshaft.

2. A closure for an opening through which a shaft or spindle is adaptedto extend, said closure comprising a plurality of movable sectionshaving edges adapted to meet on opposite sides of the shaft, saidsections being relatively slidable to cause the meeting edges thereof tohave wedging engagement and being provided with cut away portionsdefining an opening for receiving said shaft, the shaft receivingopening being of greater area than the cross sectional area of the shaftto enable relative sliding movement of the sections, and means pivotallymounted on one of said sections for closing the portion of the shaftreceiving opening unoccupied by the shaft.

3. A closure for an opening through which a shaft or spindle is adaptedto extend, said closure comprising two hingedly mounted sections havingedges adapted to meet on opposite sides of the shaft, one of saidsections being slidable in a direction at an angle to the line ofmeeting of the sections to enable the meeting edges to have wedgingengagement and each section having a cut away portion adapted when thesections are in closed position to define a shaft receiving opening ofgreater area than the cross sectional area of the shaft, and aplate-like member pivotally mounted on one of said sections for closingthe portion of the shaft receiving opening unoccupied by the shaft.

JAMES LOTHIAN.

